Harambee Stars Assistant Coach William Muluya credits football for saving him from a violent crime life.
Speaking during an interview, Muluya revealed that he grew up with his brother in Dandora where he developed a passion for football from a young age which allowed him to interact with friends harbouring similar dreams.
During the interview, he however recalled how some of his talented friends lost their way after involving themselves in criminal activities.
For William, football provided a welcome escape from the brutality around him.
"Football kept me busy in the time when I could have been in crime or serving as a tout,” he said in the interview.
Thanks to his passion for the sport, William got a football scholarship which he combined with his secondary education.
The 37-year-old switched from playing to coaching other youngsters, when he was a teenager, nearly two decades ago.
William says he has often used his position to help those who were mugged and robbed by his friends.
"Many times, I heard people had been mugged and I went and got whatever had been stolen and returned it to them,” the coach narrated.
His coaching career has seen him move from Mathare United, where he was team manager, to Kariobangi Sharks.
Within a year, William propelled the Kariobangi Sharks to compete in Africa's Confederation Cup.
Indeed, in a friendly competition in Nairobi in 2019, the Sharks beat English Premier League side Everton on penalties after normal time concluded in a 1-1 draw.
William is now an assistant coach at Kenya’s national team, Harambee Stars, working with Turkish head manager Engin Firat.
He is optimistic about Kenya’s participation in the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations which will be hosted by Kenya jointly with Uganda and Tanzania.
Grateful, William credits mentors like Gabriel 'Kingi' Njoroge, who helped him hone his skills as a green coach at Mathare United in 2012.
